Hypotension - Definition and Overview

In physiology and medicine, hypotension refers to an abnormally low blood pressure. It is often associated with shock, though not necessarily indicative of it.

Causes

Orthostatic hypotension is a common cause of low blood pressure, resulting from a sudden change in body position. Reduced blood volume, called hypovolemia, can also cause hypotension and often results from the use of diuretics or vasodilators such as nitric oxide or furosemide.

Indicators

For most individuals, a healthy blood pressure lies between 90/60 mmHg to 130/80 mmHg. A small drop in blood pressure, even as little as 20 mmHg, can result in transient hypotension.

Symptoms

Low blood pressure is often accompanied by:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heartbeat
• Fever higher than 101 °F (38.3 °C)
• Headache
• Stiff neck
• Severe upper back pain
• Cough with phlegm
• Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
• Inability to eat or drink
• Burning with urination
• Foul-smelling urine

References

• Hypovolemia - MedLine Plus (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003083.htm)

Related topics

• blood pressure
• hypertension
• circulatory system